Wren's Wyrd
by Knight-whosays-ni
Summary: Wren and friends are alerted three years after Connor leaves that he is missing.Wren needs to go find him. Hawk comes with her on this quest and the quest to find her wyrd. Writers block delayed. sorry!
1. Of ball dresses and Blood

Wren's Wyrd.   
  
Chapter 1  
  
Wren looked around lethargically, yawning. After nearly four years of adventures and magic, Wren's last few years had been rather boring. First, her friend, Princess Tess at the time, had been kidnaped, and Tyron, and Connor and she had set out to the land Of Senna Lirwan to rescue her, and encountered King Andreus in the bargain. Then Wren had set out to find her family with Connor, as she had never met them, spending 12 years in the orphanage. While they were gone, a nasty magician named Hawk had tried to kidnap the princess. Then Princess Tess came back from a diplomatic mission, only to find her parent's murdered. The now Queen Tess was smuggled to safety, and then set to war making with the country that had plagued hers for years, the country that kidnaped her, killed her parents, and killed many other innocent people of her country, Senna Lirwan. During these expeditions, Wren learned she had great magical gifts, was turned into a dog, found out that Prince Connor, once thought magic-less, had tremendous Iyon Daiyin nature magic, shape-shifted with the help of a magical gift, found her aunt, uncle and cousin, turned Evil King Andreus into a mouse, became and spoke with merpeople, found out that she herself was Iyon Daiyin, and became a journeymage. Yes, life these past few years, three, to be exact, had been very boring.  
  
Well, almost. Hawk, who became an ally of Queen Tess during the war, had transported to the palace, and eventually created a spell to Wren's rooms, just for friendly debate and exchanges of spells. Soon afterward it became a weekly tradition for Wren to go to his castle by the river Hroth, and for him to come to the palace, eat dinner, and spend the night just for the sake of scholarship. These visits had become the highlight of Wren's life, along with the letters from Connor, who was on a journey to the Summer Isles, where the Iyon Daiyin had originated from.  
  
"Hmm . . . " Wren muttered "Hawk's late, and if he doesn't show up soon, this ball will be very, very tedious." The certain ball that was being held was actually being held in her honor. In the seven years that had been her life at the palace, she had turned to the age of 18. This, technically, was the age of all official ladies', Wren, reluctantly, being one of them, coming out. Now graduated to the lower necked, trim-waisted ball gowns that all adults wore. She was now in a dark-green satin dress embroidered flawlessly with golden leaves. Wren had already been visited by the court hairdresser, and sat through two hours of pain, just to have her hair braided and placed into a snood. Then again, Wren's hair was down to her calves, so fitting it into the snood must have been tough. Three years ago, after Tess had cut her hair to the shoulders, Wren cut her hair to the ears, creating a new fashion, one that Wren enjoyed. Hawk had laughed loudly when he saw her hair after she had cut it. Unfortunately, Tess had let her hair grow out, and had insisted that Wren do the same, but while Tess's hair grew at a normal rate, Wren's exploded with growth, causing her hair to grow so long, while Tess had hair to her waist.   
  
"That's it. I am cutting it right now!" Wren yelled after the braid popped out of the snood for the fifth time. Unsheathing the sword belted at her waist, she tore off the snood and hacked off four and a half feet of braid, leaving her hair back to where she liked it, skimming her ear lobes. She stuffed her hair back into the snood with a neatness spell at the moment a palace messenger ran into her room and told her the ball should commence soon. She was needed at the announcement doors. Sighing, Wren stuffed her leftover braid into her travel pack and strode out following the servant.  
  
Tess sat at the high table, watching Wren descend the stairs that officially made her an adult. Not that it mattered to half the court. Wren had proved herself an adult when she was a mere eleven and saved Tess from King Andreus. Tess had seen the responsibility in wren far before this. While they were orphans at the Three Groves Orphanage, Wren had protected Tess from numerous bullies and dangers. She had cared for Tess far better than any of the others when she was sick, and advised Tess in everything she needed, much before their life at court. This was the Wren she knew.  
  
Just as Wren made her acceptance speech as an adult of the court, a deathly pale man bleeding profusely stumbled in to the hall. Wren gasped.  
  
"Hawk!" Being the only one unhindered by a chair, Wren rushed to Hawk's side grabbing him before he fell. Tess was right behind her, followed by Tyron and his student, Orin. Wren quickly preformed a temporary Blood staunching spell, and Hawk spoke with urgency.   
  
"Wren..." he coughed. "Queen, I must speak with you, alone. Tyron, you may wish to hear as well." Wren looked up.   
  
"We'll use my rooms, Orin, will you?" Orin nodded in agreement and Called for attention as the foursome left.  
  
In Wren's rooms, Hawk was sitting in a chair, Wren standing above him with a hand on his shoulder, and Tyron and Tess sitting opposite him.  
  
"Wren, shy do you keep your hand on his shoulder?" Teresa asked. Wren nodded to Tyron. Facing Tyron, Tess asked, "Well?"  
  
"Okay, you know the basic principals of magic right? If one is wounded..." he began.  
  
"One's magic will also be. Magic must be maintained in a body system accustomed to it, otherwise the magician will die. So?"  
  
"Well, right now, Hawk is bleeding his magic out faster than his lifeblood. Wren is maintaining the staunching spell while placing some of her magic inside of him, so his balance will stay semi natural. This is also very dangerous, because it can drain a magician very quickly, and the one with the magic being transferred to will permanently have a part of the healing magician's magic within." he explained.  
  
"So why don't you help her? Wren already looks exhausted!" Tess exclaimed.  
  
"You see, to transfer the magic, one must be very closely attached to the other, and vise versa. As you know, Hawk has been visiting here very often, and Wren him, for their weekly debates. They have become magically attached because they spend so much time together, as I am attached to Connor and Wren."  
  
"Is this true Wren? Have you become close to him?" Tess asked with a puzzled voice. Wren failed to reply, because as Hawk opened his eyes, Wren had nearly fully drained herself. Collapsing on the floor, Wren kept a finger on Hawk's knee. "Wren!" Tess and Tyron called in unison.  
  
"It's alright. I can handle it now Wren." Hawk said, sounding like rusty hinges. Wren shook her head and stood up, still shaking her head. Not even she was sure if she was clearing her head or still saying no. "Fine, have it your way." Taking Wren's hand, he placed a small amount of power in Wren. "It is complete." She hmphed. Wren took a large weaving she had made and started to tear it into long bandage strips.  
  
"No!" Cried three voices this time, belonging to Hawk, Tyron and Tess.  
  
"You worked far to hard on that to use it on me, Wren." Hawk pleaded.  
  
"Oh miff. I hated this thing anyway. And I can always make a new one later. You need bandages now." Tearing the last strip, she began to bind the long gash on Hawk's arm as Tess requested for him to tell his story.  
  
"Alright. You sure you're Okay, Wren?" He asked. She nodded feebly. "I just got word from Idres. She couldn't get to Wren or Tyron like she normally could, so she told me to tell you for her. She has connections on the Summer isles, you know already. What you didn't know is that she asked those connections to watch Connor for us. Us being her self and you three." he hastened to add, blushing slightly. "Ow!" he cried. "What was that for?" he asked Wren.  
  
"Whoops, sorry." she replied mischievously.   
  
"Hmm, glad to see you are becoming yourself again, Wren." He smiled back. "Anyway, Last month, Connor was supposed to have met up with a couple. The very same couple you out finding Queen Teresa. At the time Princess Teresa. Well, as he was supposed to meet them a month ago, when he didn't show up, they did some sort of Iyon Daiyin magic, and found him blocked by an evil magic. They also found out that Wren has to go find him, and her Wyrd." At this, Tyron gasped and Wren let out a small "meep". Gripping her shoulder, Hawk looked at her and nodded. Teresa looked confused.  
  
"What's a ... a wyrid?" she asked.  
  
"Wyrd. To find a wyrd is a rare... quest, I guess you might say. One must have a special gift. Most magician's do not ever get their calling for their wyrd. Not even the former Kings Magician has found his. Once one finds their wyrd, they become a wizard. Wyrd is a magician's – soon to be wizard's – fate, personified."  
  
"Enough about this, what about Connor?" snapped Wren. Hawk sighed.  
  
"Connor is missing and in serious danger. It is part of finding Wren's wyrd to go find Connor, with me. I have also been assigned my quest, and our paths lie in the same direction. Tyron, you must stay here, with the Queen." at this, Tess let a squeal of outrage out.   
  
" I most certainly will come!" Tyron calmed her with a touch on the hand.   
  
"If we go, we risk Wren and her wyrd. If Wren fails, she could die." At this, Tess became silent and wide eyed.  
  
"We must go, now, Wren." Hawk tried to get up, but wren pushed him back up.   
  
"No. You sleep, and we find Kial. I need to change." Taking off her snood, Tyron and Tess gasped, and Hawk started laughing.   
  
"Yes, I can agree with you there. First sleep and Kial, then we go?" Wren nodded.   
  
"Tyron? When you get Kial, could you ask him for some extra bandage, good for binding?"  
  
"On it." 


	2. Through Ice and Fire, thou shalt be,

"Hawk?" after trudging for a full week in knee high snow, it was all Wren could do to keep warmth in her toes and fingers, let alone talk, but talk she did.  
  
"Mmhm?" Hawk answered without even turning. If he looked, he would break his reserve.  
  
"Hawk, you aren't fully recovered yet, and need to rest. I need to do another transfer, and we can't go on unless we rest and do these things. Come." she took firm hold of his arm and led him down a hunting trail, and into a close knit copse of trees which kept most of the snow out. Pulling out four logs from the woods with her magic, she set them in a heap ans used other powers that Hawk was unfamiliar with to set the wet wood ablaze. Pointing at two other logs, she set them down with amazing accuracy by the fire, one beside the other. "Sit." she commanded. Hawk was dumfounded. She sighed and set him there herself.  
  
"What? What was that? How did you light the wood? That's no spell I have ever heard." he cocked his head– much like a hawk would.  
  
"I am Iyon Daiyin. Didn't you know?" he shook his head. "Right then." feeling Hawk's forehead, she raised an eyebrow. "You didn't drink that tea you were offered this morning, or the past six mornings, did you?" he shook his head again, and Wren let out an explosive sigh. "Well, that's not good. I made that tea for you to help you on this journey. It has infused Iyon Daiyin magic that would heal you more the farther you walked. It would also help you adjust to what a difference there is in the Summer Isles. I hate to say it, but if you don't get more body heat, you most likely won't survive the night." Hawk didn't look too concerned. "Doesn't that bother you?"  
  
"Well," Hawk replied. "My life has been pretty miserable of late. I am probably hindering you, and my wyrd would probably be something like a bottle of poison. I– " he was cut short by a slap across the face by Wren.  
  
"Stop that. First of all, you are NOT hindering me. Quite th opposite Second of all, what of all of your people in your city? Alif? What about Alif? Tess depends on you as well. Not just the Queen, but Tess. Tyron, Connor, we all need you. You better as hell live this night through or I will never forgive you. Now, stop talking, if all you are going to talk about is how no one would miss you. I have heard that too many times." He blushed. Nodding, Wren said "Conserve your energy because you need it. I'll be right back." Sitting down in the snow, Wren slowly fell into a trance. Hawk watched her with interest. One of these days, I will truly find out about Wren and her life. Until then, I fear I am becoming attached to this little girl. He thought to himself, then remembering Wren wasn't, in fact, a little girl, but two years younger than his twenty years. She's gotten taller too. Hawk could easily remember a time when Wren didn't clear his shoulder, and now she could look him in the eye. Going deeper into his thoughts, Hawk hit upon something he didn't want to think about and tried to clear his mind. The thought persisted, and suddenly he felt weak and fell off the log he was sitting on.   
  
"Wren!" he gasped, and all went black.  
  
Wren came out of her trance just in time to see Hawk fall and call out her name. Running over to him, she noticed signs that she was afraid of.  
  
"Damn you!" she sobbed, pounding her fist into the snow. She grabbed the blankets she had set hovering over the fire to warm and wrapped them around him. Rubbing his arms and legs fiercely, she thought of all the things Kial had taught her. "When a victim falls into a cold torpor, restore all possible body heat. Do not warm them up too quickly if they have been out for over ten minutes. Otherwise the blood will rush to quickly to the heart and cause a heart attack." she recited to herself. "Damn you Hawk. Why didn't you tell me you were so cold?" After rubbing him Until her arms were sore, she grabbed both bed rolls and shoved one into the other. " oh I hope this works." she whispered and slipped herself and Hawk into the inner bed roll.  
  
"Tyron, what's happening? What's wrong?" Just as Wren had fallen asleep with her arms around hawk to keep him warm, Tyron had felt something wrong and started to scry them. The Queen pleaded. "Please tell me!" Accidentally, she took hold of Tyron's arm and looked into the stone. Seeing Hawk's deathly pallor, she gasped and let go of Tyron's arm.   
  
"Hawk's fallen into a cold torpor. Wren is trying to restore heat to his body by transmitting her body heat to him." Kial answered, on the other side of Tyron, gripping his shoulder. Good girl, Wren! He thought to himself, remembering teaching her. " She also spelled the blankets to retain the heat of the fire. I'm glad she got the knack of that so quickly. Otherwise Hawk would most likely be dead."  
  
"Hmph" answered Tyron. "Be better off without him."  
  
"Tyron!" cried Queen Teresa, not Tess. "Without him we would ALL most likely be dead!"  
  
"Not to mention that there would be no one to protect Wren." Pointed out Kial, grinning. At this, Tyron blushed.  
  
"I'm sorry, my queen, I spoke rashly."  
  
"Forgiven. Now, how can we help them?" She asked forcefully. Kial grimaced.  
  
"My lady, we cannot help for fear of interrupting her quest."  
  
"WHAT?!" Tess screamed, bringing Orin into the room.  
  
"My lady, there is a group at the door that needs to see you. Do you wish...?" she asked tentatively.  
  
"Oh who is it now. If it's one more damned courtier..." she trailed off.  
  
"M'lady, it is Connor's cousin. The one who was your commander in chief. He has been there for hours, waiting for you. It is 'of dire importance', he said. Shall I turn him away?"   
  
"Garian..." Tess breathed. "Kial, I need you to go into that corner" she said, pointing to the far west corner of her room. "There is a small door behind the tapestry. Hide in there. Tyron, I need you to stay here. Orin, please escort him in. You may stay if you wish." Orin nodded mutely and ran outside. A minute later, all three remaining in the room heard footsteps pounding on the stone floor. A disheveled and frustrated looking Garian burst into the door.  
  
"Your Majesty! You are in danger! It has come!" he cried out before falling in a pathetic looking heap upon the floor.  
  
"Kial!"  
  
"Mumnph" groaned Hawk as he awoke, completely enveloped in darkness. Feeling a hand on his shoulder, he quickly turned around. Looking up, he saw that his head lay on Wren's chest, and it was her hand he felt on his arm. Feeling suddenly ten times better, he peeked out of the bedroll, only to draw his head back in swiftly. On top of the bedroll there was a complete blanket of snow. At this stirring, Wren woke and let out a glad cry. Hugging him tightly, she yelled "you're alright! You're alive!" over and over again.  
  
After a few minutes of this, Wren realized that this might be taken the wrong way.  
  
"Er..." Wren cringed, but she didn't get what she expected. Instead of a sardonic and caustic remark, Hawk just grinned and hugged her back. Someone does care! He crowed to himself. Oh how this changes everything.   
  
"Thank you Wren. You have saved more than my life, and I will be forever in your debt." Suddenly taking notice of their close proximity, they sprang apart and both blushed deeply.  
  
"Umm..." stammered Hawk. "I... er..." Wren held up a hand. Grinning, she nodded.   
  
"Me too. I won't mention it if you won't." Hawk tried to laugh, but he started to cough instead.  
  
"Hush now. You sleep. I need to tunnel out of here." before he could protest, Wren closed his eyes and placed a sleep charm on him. Clambering up and out of the bedroll, she took a mittened hand and began to dig her way up. Pausing only briefly and rarely, she broke the surface in little over a half hour. Waving a hand and muttering a word under her breath, she heard a small cry and Hawk's dark head popped out of the hole. Writhing a little bit he narrowed his eyes.  
  
"I'm stuck. Get me out." It took Wren a moment to stop laughing and slid a hand under Hawk's arm. A mocking bird above Wren's head chortled.   
  
"Oh stop– " her eyes widened. Placing both arms under his, she heaved with all of her strength. Looking this way and that, she whispered into his ears "Run. Hard, and fast. Your magic is as restored as it's going to get today. Take this," she slipped the summons ring off of her hand. "When you find it, up in the mountains. Get in, and stay in. Tell them Wren and Connor sent you. When you have a moment alone, hold the ring to your chest and think, as hard as you can, of me." Hawk looked ready to protest. "No, NOW. RUN. You will know when you see it."  
  
Not showing any signs of moving, Wren turned to him. Opening her mouth, she was struck by a bolt of blue fire. "Run!" she cried. He shook his head. "You will do as I say!" making signs quickly in the air, he vanished. "Go. Be smart. Leave me. Turning to the direction of the fire, she tied back her hair. "I'm here!" 


	3. Mountains and plains,

Chapter 3  
  
"Wren!" Connor woke from a drug induced slumber groggy and afraid, but his fear was not for himself, but Wren. Not only did he find that dream disturbingly real, but he believed it fully. Sitting up quickly from the shock of the dream, he hit his head on the steel bars of a small cage that held him captive. He felt woozy, and realized that he had been transported recently. All he saw was the cage around him, the walls that enclosed the cage, and a small window, many feet above his head. Slowly clawing his way up on his knees, he dragged himself over to the other side of the cage. There he found some stale water, and a hunk of rock hard black bread. Groaning, he placed his head against the bars of his cage and fought the tears pricking the back of his eyes.  
  
"She will die, you realize?" an old, rusty voice spoke nastily many feet above him. Connor felt a bell ring in his head. He knew that voice. If only I wasn't so groggy. It has to be the drugs.   
  
"Wren is stronger than anything you can throw at her." he didn't even question how he knew who she was talking about, or how she knew of his dream. She cackled, delighted.  
  
"Really? Didn't you used to think that she would come for you? Well she isn't coming as fast as she can. She probably isn't coming at all. Do you know why? Because of that Hawk. She stopped last night, while she could have kept going. All to save Hawk, who nearly kidnaped the princess five years ago. That is a sign of weakness." there it was again... he was sure he knew her voice.  
  
"Wren is strong, otherwise she would have left Hawk to die. She showed compassion not weakness. She could have left an enemy to die, get rid of him quickly. And just so you know, Hawk is no longer an enemy. Hawk is an ally. You are the enemy. You may try to kill us all, but you will never. Wren, Hawk, Garian, Tyron, Tess..." his throat constricted on the last name. "They are all too strong for you to handle by themselves, let alone together." He spat at her, but this only seem to cause her more amusement.   
  
"Yes, little princeling. We shall see." she cackled again as she left the room, this time closing the window with a snap of her fingers.  
  
"Magic.." he whispered as he absentmindedly took a sip of the water by his side. That was the last complete thought he had before darkness enveloped him completely.  
  
"Your Highness!" Just as Connor lost consciousness, Garian regained it, and Kial called to the Queen. "Garian is awake. Tyron had a vision in the glass; he needs you." Nodding, the queen set out to Tyron's rooms in the palace. It was long since everyone in the palace except those in the room, Orin, Tyron, and one of the cooks had fallen asleep. Hearing what sounded like mad throes coming from Tyron's rooms, she hiked up her skirts and ran. Bursting in the doors, she saw Tyron in the middle of a pool of broken glass and green liquid. He looked as if he was about to burst into flame.  
  
"Tyron? Oh Tyron!" she ran to his side and helped him to his bed. "Lord and lady, you're burning up!"   
  
"She... Tess! She is in danger, and I can do nothing. I, the Queen's magician! If she.. If she.... I will never forgive myself."   
  
"Tyron, hush. She will be Okay. I refuse to let myself or anyone around me think of that. What did you see?" Tyron looked at her with the most frightening look she had ever seen from him.   
  
" I saw It." he took a deep breath. "I saw Connor. He is being held by someone that we know, and... that's all."   
  
"It?" she asked as she slowly led him to her rooms.  
  
"It. It is a Belrothol." Tyron explained.  
  
"I'm still lost."   
  
"Well, a Belrothol... I don't know how to explain. Hmm. It looks like this." swiftly conjuring up an illusion, Tess gasped. A creature about ten inches tall still instilled fear in her heart. The beast seemed as if it was made of the partially cooled molten rock that erupted from the fire mountain in Senna Lirwan. It was mostly black, but it continually flowed, new lava seeping form the cracks in the blackening lava that was his flesh. The mouth of the beast when he roared was blood red with a tongue of fire, as were his pupil-less eyes. The creature lacked a nose or ears, except for small slits that secreted acrid smoke.  
  
"It is the destruction of fire, personified. But it is not the creature itself that scares me, it is the wizard that summoned it. Even though a Belrothol is one of the weakest of the Ryushnia, Fire is one of the hardest elements to control."  
  
"Ryushnia?" Teresa hated her ignorance of Magic.  
  
"Ryushnia. It is part of the Iyon Daiyin ancient languages. Roughly translated, it means 'evils of the elements.' There are six. Molocoa, Life, Belrothol, fire, Yushala, water, Welarnea, Ice, Roloyra, Storm, Apoplal, Earth and Ryonaola, Death. In that order, is weakest to strongest, when personified." Reaching the doors to her rooms, Tess asked as they opened the door,  
  
"But you said there were six. You named seven. Why?" Garian answered this enquiry  
  
"You see, he named the five evil, and the two unknown. Life and death are the only unknown elements in this world. Yes, it does have faults, of course, but only because it's brother, death, is stronger than it. Life is the oldest element, and therefore the weakest." he coughed. "Well, it is the weakest only because there have been no personifications of it yet. Every one of the Ryushnia is the spirit of a wizard who failed their Wyrd. As you can guess, they were all evil. Probably why they failed it in the first place. Wren is the vessel of life, currently. The wizard who conjured up the belrothol is trying to kill her on her quest, and so that way, the wizard may harness the power of the element of life, and that way control all of the elements." at that moment, there was a burst of cold air and spices, and they all looked to the door.   
  
"That's right. I have Connor, I am going to have you, and I will harness Life. And there's not a thing you can do!" Cackled the woman.  
  
"I– " was all Tyron could say before a sudden spell knocked them all out.  
  
"And then there were three." she sang to herself right before she transported to the castle where she held Connor.   
  
"Damnit, Wren!" screamed Hawk as he tried for the umpteenth time to transport back. He realized that he could watch the battle from a distance with a sight spell, and also that would waste less energy. He clambered up the closest tree, and recited the words he knew so well. Neatly and precisely, his sight ability magnified, and he looked towards the column of smoke that came from where he had been minutes before. He saw the most terrifying creature he had ever seen. "Belrothol." He breathed. Standing 10 feet tall, and six feet wide, made of fire and lava, he felt the heat at this distance. Then he saw Wren and took in a low hissed breath. Her shirt was in tatters, she was bleeding from more than one spot, and he saw burns on her arms and face.  
  
"ARNAO, TERYUO, NAFAT!" He heard her scream. That was odd. First, he had not cast a hearing enhancing spell, second, he had never heard those words. She collapsed. Looking back at the monster, knowing that it would show no mercy, built up the words to a spell, but the stayed in his throat. Before his eyes, the Belrothol was engulfed but a wave of water and ice.  
  
He nearly fell out of the tree when a hand touched his shoulder.  
  
"Let us get her?" the man said calmly. Hawk nodded mutely. He had no idea who this man was or how he got up here in the first place, but there was a reminder of Wren in his eyes, so he trusted him.   
  
Appearing at Wren's side with a small thud of air, the mysterious man inclined his head towards Wren.  
  
"Pick her up. She is burned to badly to move by herself or be touched by anyone except you and a very qualified healer." Hawk obeyed. Cradling her gently, he saw her move slightly to a more comfortable position. Well, at least she's not dead, he thought to himself. He also felt a slight pulling sensation at the pit of his stomach. He looked up at the man inquiringly.   
  
"She is taking from you what will heal her the most right now. Good thing you have plenty of it. Now, I must be off." And with a smaller pop, he was gone.  
  
Sighing, Hawk trudged further up the mountain, remembering a time when he and Wren had swapped information on the Iyon Daiyin.  
  
"The Iyon Daiyin, or at least those I know, are always more powerful and stronger in the mountains." he faintly recalled her saying. "I don't know why. Perhaps there are a certain species of animal or plant that feeds them, or maybe it is because they are closer to a deity of theirs. I personally think that there is a certain, mysterious power left over from an ancient spell cast over the immemorial lands, before the countries were divided."  
  
"Hmm... think! What would Wren do if it were me who was unconscious?" he muttered to himself. "She would find shelter, preferably something soft, warm, and dry." looking up along the mountainside, he spied a bear cave about half an hour's walk up. "Better than nothing." he shrugged. Realizing that he couldn't carry her up the mountain this way, he hoisted her up onto his back, and clasped her hands around his neck and tied them. "Okay Wren, let's go."  
  
Roughly an hour later, as he had misjudged the length of the walk, he reached the entrance of the cave. There was a light blue moss on the floor of the cave, as well as tufts of blue-black and white hair. Lifting his head in answer to a deep growl from the darkness of the cave, he spoke in a calm, clear voice.  
  
"I am Hawk Riscarlan. I am here on behalf of the Iyon Daiyin." 


	4. Old friends and new characters hint hin...

Chapter 4  
  
Author's note: I had gotten some flames the other day about my writing skills and how I make things obvious. Tell me, please, who is the evil wizard? Does anyone die? If so who? I hope I make my point. To the others who have encouraged me, I thank you. Namely, Shannon. It helps. Reviews are welcome, including constructive criticism. Flames will be deleted promptly.  
  
DISCLAIMER: I really did not think that I needed to point this out, but I have gotten a few complaints. All characters except a select few are the creation of Ms. Sherwood Smith's wonderfully colorful and brilliant imagination. All bow down to her superiority.  
  
This chapter will be in Wren's POV (point of view)  
  
Oof. I thought to myself. I feel as if I had been beaten to death by clubs, hot, metal clubs. Letting out a slight moan, I opened my eyes and felt my heart jump to my throat. Hovering scant inches from my face was a giant muzzle. A murmured word and the muzzle withdrew, leaving in its place the concerned and relived face of Hawk.  
  
"Oh, thank the lady. You're alright!" He looked at me in an indiscernible way. "I thought we had lost you when we came for you." My weariness deteriorated into anger when I heard this.  
  
"You came looking for me?!" I shouted. "You stupid, stupid man! You put yourself in too much danger! I told you to stay away!" Hawk looked hurt. He caught himself and soon started to shout back.  
  
"Oh, I put myself in danger. I'm sorry, I seem to have things mixed up. I was quite sure that it was you, not me, who sent off their only means of help when a Belrothol attacked!"  
  
"Well, I was sure that you were the one who was too weak to be of any help because you were too stupid to say that you were cold! Nor was I the one who transported to an insecure area! How did you know that the Belrothol wasn't still alive or going to come back?" I was positively seething. Then I saw that look on his face again and nearly exploded, but a large snout in my face prevented me.   
  
"Now, now children," the bear spoke in a slightly sarcastic voice. "You both know very well that you are too weak to get too angry." the hurt look returned to his face, as well as a touch of red on his cheeks. I just glared at Hawk. He caught me glaring and gave me an icy stare that could have frozen a Belrothol. If looks cold kill, both of us would be dead, several times over.   
  
Suddenly I dissolved into laughter. Hawk abandoned his cold look for one of puzzled bemusement. Falling backward in the course of giggling, I rubbed a burn on my arm against the nest like thing I had been placed in. I cursed, loudly. Even the bear looked shocked. This just caused me to fall apart again.  
  
"Wren, what the hell are you doing? What the hell is so funny?" Hawk started to snigger as well, if for no reason because I must have looked absolutely ridiculous.  
  
"You two do this often?" Asked the muzzle that still was all I could really see. In my sudden fit, I guess I hadn't noticed that the bear could talk. By the look on Hawk's face, I assumed the same was for him.  
  
"You– You, you can talk?" asked he in a slightly shaky voice. Now he was fearful of the bear. When was the last time Hawk was ever scared around me? Oh that's right! Right before we all went into the large battle. He didn't look scared for himself though ... he must have been scared for Tess. That was the only logical reason. I shook my head, remembering it did no good to reminisce.   
  
"Apparently, Hawk. How did you guess?" I added dryly. For all of his magical smarts and strategist mind, he seemed to point out the obvious a lot. "I mean, what, she did seem to open her, permit my saying so lady, muzzle and speak to us, did she not?" Oh boy, more cold stares. By the end of this, I was sure I would end up in a block of ice. I had the sudden urge to woof. Wow, even after the six or so years I had been out of the dog shape, I still retained some tendencies. I resisted the urge. Meeting Hawk's eyes again, I fought the urge to shiver. There were two things wrong with his eyes. One, they were even colder than before. Two, underneath that layer of ice that seemed to coat his eternal self there was a river of hot passion. Towards what, I did not know. Actually, this was the first time I had seen this flow before. I caught myself staring, as did Hawk. He grinned, albeit a bit maliciously. Sighing, I once again brought myself to the present, fighting the high color rising to my face.  
  
"Great lady, who are you? I am completely mystified, and yet I feel familiarity in your presence." I bowed deeply in the Iyon Daiyin fashion after scrambling up and dusted myself off.   
  
"And in one so young," the bear muttered. Hawk seemed poised to ask a question, but with a sharp nod from yours truly, he shut his mouth. The bear proceeded to answer.  
  
"I am Aalen. I once was human, but a wizard," Hawk and I noticed simultaneously that she used the word 'wizard', not 'magician' or 'sorcerer'. "Came to my village. She felt that there was too much power in my family, so she killed my family in front of me. Then, as she said I was the most powerful, she turned me into a bear, to be feared by all, respected by none. Able to feel the power I had, but unable to use it. I am roughly your age, though a sense of time fades within a bear." she sighed, or, at least, the bear equivalent of a sigh. "You, girl, I know you from somewhere." she directed this at me. Rummaging through the tumult that was my memory.  
  
"Aalen... Aalen...." with a small gasp of surprise, I asked a question tentatively. "Aalen wouldn't happen to be short for.. Aalendrianna, would it?"  
  
"Why, yes... it would." The bea- Aalen answered. I gave a squeal of delight. Running up to Aalen, I hugged her crying   
  
"Oh, Aalen! It's such a relief to know you got out okay! Aunt Niss said that they couldn't find you!" a slight glint of recognition slid into her eyes.   
  
"Wren? Oh Wren, you have grown! I am so sorry I missed your last few visits, but I was on little excursions of my own!" She gave a toothy grin, and Hawk seemed more than a bit wary.  
  
"Umm.... Wren? Do you mind, er... introducing us?" He eyed Aalen, puzzled-ly. Grinning ear to ear, I introduced my friend.  
  
"Hawk Riscarlan, may I introduce Aalen, or Aalendrianna, Merindar.." I smiled inwardly when I saw the look of horror and amazement on his face. "She helped out with the horses and healing at my aunt's and uncles Inn, until it burned down. Heh. Don't worry, This Merindar was actually the leader in foreign forces and supplies for Her Highness Meliara and His Highness Vidanric. I helped in some of that you know." In the past year, a group of rebels here in Cantirmoor did exactly the same, I contentedly thought to myself. You see, about a year before our war broke out, another war started in Remalna, a country about a two week journey south of Brennic Marches. A brave marquis and an even braver countess met one fateful night with The countess, Meliara Astair, caught in a trap set by her own side. The Marquis, Vidanric, had helped her recover, without Mel's knowing. They set out hating each other, then ended up saving each other. Now married, and Mel with child (last I heard) the country was in peace. Turning back to Aalen,   
  
"So how are Mel and Danric these days?" I asked.  
  
"Oh, they are fine. Mel gave birth to a fine, healthy girl. Her name is... well, I thought this might surprise you, but her name is Wren!" she exclaimed.  
  
"Oh how wonderful! How old is she? Why did they name her Wren? Where is she being raised?" I was bursting with questions.  
  
"Calm down, my friend. She is three to the day, they named her Wren because of what you did here in Cantirmoor and because they like the name, and she is being raised in Tlanth and the capital, depending on the season." I saw Hawk edging away, outside.   
  
"One moment, Aalen. I'll be right back." she nodded placidly. Slowly creeping after Hawk, I watched him find a boulder to sit on and he placed his head in his hands. I walked up to him, placing a hand on his shoulder. "Are you okay, Hawk? You seem... I don't know, unhappy." He started at my touch. "Hush, it's okay. Just me, little ol' scrawny, weak, pitiful, hideous, stripy-haired Wren." I thought that bringing up all fo the things he had called me at one time or another might cause him to laugh, but he just burrowed his head further into his hands. I knelt in front of him, momentarily forgetting the bruises and burns on my knees. "Here now, what's this?" I asked, pulling his hands away form his face. Tear tracks traced a path down his face. Following these tracks with my thumb, I repeated my question. He blinked, then stood up, swiping at his eyes surreptitiously.   
  
"Nothing!" he snarled. He strode away, back up to the cave. I shook my head.   
  
"Hopefully nothing I have to worry about, though I admit, seeing actual proof that Hawk has emotions really changes what I think of him." I murmured to myself.   
  
"Aalen, have you thought of any ways that you could, well, change back?" I asked when I got back to the cave. Hawk was sulking in a corner. She shook her great shaggy head.  
  
"Nary a one." I could see on the inside she felt terrible, as did I. Brow furrowed in thought, I sat for hours thinking. Aalen and Hawk seemed to think I had gone mad by the time I sprang up from a log and shouted "I have it!" Bounding to Aalen, I hugged her first, then I went over to Hawk and hugged him– none to gently mind you. But I was too ecstatic to notice. "Hawk, Aalen, I have it!" Digging in her pack, she took out a necklace that Hawk recognized, though he wasn't sure where from. "Hawk, I need you to grip my shoulders, waist, feet, whatever, just hold on tightly and leave my hands free." I ordered. He obliged, placing his hands on my waist. " I need to borrow some magic to turn her human again. Is that alright?" He nodded. Taking the necklace, she made several signs over it. Complex, healing, undoing, and remaking spell signs. "Okay, Hawk, I need you to focus on this necklace. Imagine that you are switching the configuration of it, from human to animal, to animal to human. Then, place the most powerful and lingering permanence spell you know on it. Okay?" I gave him the break down.  
  
"Okay," he replied warily. "But I don't see how you..." Waving a hand, I interrupted him.  
  
"I'll take care of the rest. You don't know Aalen as I do." Hawk and I closed our eyes and did as I said, changing the function of the necklace, reversing it. I then placed every memory I had of her, good and bad, the way she looked, spoke, dressed, etc. into the necklace. Then I wove a very potent spell to place the effect on her permanently.   
  
"Hawk, we must stand up. Do not break contact, otherwise we'll lose the spell. Keep contact 'till I tell you to let go, then let go. Immediately." Hawk looked ready to object, but shut his mouth. I nodded. Slowly getting up, and even more slowly walking over to Aalen, I placed the necklace over her head. There was a blinding flash of light. "Don't let go!" I bellowed over the sudden rushing sound in my ears. Hawk's arms just came over from his hands-on-hips position to arms fully around my waist, just so he wouldn't break contact. I felt fur fly, literally. Feeling my powers wane, I snapped my head back, letting go of the necklace and flying backwards against the wall of the cave. Or, more like, me flying into Hawk flying into the cave wall. The light faded. Slowly opening my eyes, I gasped. Standing in front of me, was one of my dear friends, in all of her green haired glory?!?!  
  
end of Wren's POV  
  
Away in Remalna  
  
A few hundred miles away to the south, a three year old ran to her father in the library. A few steps behind her came a woman of medium height, fair skin, chiseled nose and lips, unfathomably deep blue eyes, and long, straight auburn hair. When one looked from child to woman, it was evident that the woman was the other of the child's parents. With the same head of auburn hair, fair skin, and facial features, the resemblance could not be mistaken. Only the grey orbs that belonged to her tall, blonde, equally fair and slim man who was her father were any trace of the lineage.   
  
At the sight of his toddling child he grinned and scooped her up, spinning her around, earning a squeal of delight from his child and a smile from the mother. But the smile did not reach her eyes. In fact, with one look at the emotions clearly evident in her stature and poise, the father went from happiness to concern.  
  
"Mel, what's wrong?" Vidanric, King of Remalna, asked, placing his daughter down and embracing his wife, Meliara, Queen of Remalna.   
  
"Oh, Danric," she breathed into his hair. "I just got word about Aalen."   
  
"The one who helped us so much up north? What's wrong?"  
  
"Her family was found murdered a week ago. She was- is- missing." she stammered.  
  
"How can we help? We are two weeks away from the capital, more if you count the city where she lives. I am sorry. I cannot leave." He looked as if he was ready to tear out his hair.  
  
"Don't worry Vidanric. You don't have to go. I will." once again the king's face changed. Placing her so he could see her face, he asked:  
  
"Mel, you know I won't stop you, but will you reconsider? For all we know, she is in danger, putting you in danger. What about Wren?" she sighed.  
  
"Danric, Wren is too young. Aalen is one of my dearest friends. It's like asking you to stay when Russ was in danger; you know you just have to go. Besides," she smiled "she said the next time I visit, I may get to meet our baby's namesake." at this he chuckled.  
  
"Alright Mel. You go with my support. How many guards do you want?"  
  
"Absolutely none" she replied firmly.  
  
"Mel, I can't let you go without a guard. Even I am not that self confident." came the expected reply.  
  
"Well, if I must, may I have Ness and her group?" I asked, remembering the kind woman who helped me during the war.   
  
"Of course. She had a new group though. Promoted. She is the only one you'll know really." She nodded her consent.  
  
"When will you be leaving?"  
  
"First gold, tomorrow. With the messenger."  
  
"So soon?" he asked pleadingly. Mel's eyes held a sorrowful look.  
  
" I am afraid I must, dear one. But, think of it this way; the sooner I leave, the sooner I find her, and the sooner I come back." smiling a sad smile, Vidanric took his child in one arm, and his wife in the other.  
  
"Come on, Wren and I will help you pack." striding to their rooms, Mel mentally prepared herself for a long journey.  
  
end of chapter. Thanks for all fo the good reviews. A/N Yes, for a little fun, I thought I might add crown duel to an already brilliant mix of characters, all thought up by the all-powerful Ms. Smith. Only Aalen and the name of the child(sort of) is/are mine. 


	5. Enemies or more?

Chapter Five  
  
Hawk POV  
  
I noticed yesterday that my timetables were wrong. It said that it was only the second day on that last chapter, where I actually meant for it to be a full week, at least. I have changed it, so I hope I will not get any flames telling me of my inaccuracy and inconsistency.  
  
"" talking. '' thoughts. Italics used to work..... damn  
  
DISCLAIMER: Nothing is, or ever will be mine.  
  
"Oh, Aalen!" Rummaging around in her pack, Wren pulled some things out of her pack. "What happened? Did it all happen while you were a bear?" I opened my eyes to this. The girl, Aalen, had pants on, and her shirt was pulled up to reveal her back, but nothing else. Crisscrossing her back were marks; angry, red marks.   
  
"Oh, Wren, I suppose you didn't get any scars on your back, the way you throw yourself into battle? I know your magician tricks won't get you our of everything!" at this Wren cracked a smile. I don't know why, but this made me want to smile to. I suppressed the urge, knowing it to be a fickle one.  
  
"Well, yes, I have. Quite a few actually. But mine do not look like the work of a whip!" even I knew that Wren was trying to change the subject. Aalen sighed.  
  
"Yes and no, they were the product of a magical whipping, I guess you might say. No, this was before I was turned into a bear. The woman wizard... we fought. Magically. She attacked me with magic. Then I was a bear."  
  
"Mmm." Wren was busy rubbing salve into Aalen's back to notice me. 'Hmm...' I thought to myself. 'I wonder what it would be like, having Wren rubbing your back... wait, WHAT?!?!' "Err... Aalen, did you see Hawk just twitch over there?" I snapped my eyes shut.  
  
"Nope, probably a trick of the fire. Now, let me get your back. I know you must have many burns with what you were just down there with." I cautiously opened my eye halfway.  
  
"I'm not sure... it's okay, I don't need it...." but Aalen was determined. Wren now had her back halfway turned to me, and Aalen hissed in sympathy. "You poor thing! Your entire back is a huge, burned bruise!" I gasped, my little game forgotten momentarily. Both women, swivelled their heads. I gave to all appearances I was still out cold. At that moment, a figure with a sword stepped into the mouth of the cave. I lept up, a wave of dizziness flowing over me, but I drew my sword before I knew what I was doing.   
  
"Peace, young one, I come meaning no harm." a deep, feminine voice said. "Perhaps I am mistaken, which is the case more often than not, but there supposedly is a blue and white bear here. It is rumored to be a speaking bear, from Kiel, that knows of a girl. Is it in residence?" I didn't answer immediately, soon a cry of recognition came from Aalen. The woman turned her head and saw Aalen and Wren, still kneeling. "Aalen! Oh good, you are alive. Burn it, I had thought you were MIA, or worse, dead!" she looked at Wren. I am assuming that she did not know that the person she was looking at was female, because she said "Oh, Aalen, who is this fine young fellow? Very handsome, and – Blast! What HAPPENED?" Wren looked stunned for a moment, not realizing she was being spoken to, then with a little shake of her head,  
  
"Oh, I er....." she stammered.  
  
"Your Highness, this is Wren." Aalen stood up. "I would hug you had I not all of this goop on my hands."   
  
"If I told you once, I have told you twenty times; call me Mel– wait, did you just say that's Wren?" Aalen nodded. Wren stiffly got up, and tried to bow, but nearly crumpled. That salve brought back all fo the pain; I know, I've used it. I dashed over to her and caught her.  
  
"You stupid wench." I muttered, but I felt myself smile. She smiled back. Holding on to my shoulder, she got up again and tried to bow, but Her Highness stopped her.  
  
"Not in your current condition, nor in any other. My, my, now I can see part of why all of your people love you."  
  
"Oh, no, Majesty, I am not royal in anyway. I am friends with Queen Teresa of Cantirmoor, and Prince Connor of Siradayel, but that is it." Wren bowed her head respectfully.  
  
"Ah, but you do not have to have a title to have followers. I had many who were not of my ruling join me because they thought I was a good leader. Miff, were they wrong. I digress. What I meant was that you can be counted as a ruler, without having a title, a pedigree, or anything such." Smiling, she turned to Aalen. "Now, why is your hair green?" this drew a laugh from everyone. "Come, let us wash it out. There is a spring... wait, I suppose you would know this area better than I, would you not?" This caused another chuckle.  
  
"I can't. If I don't continue to put the salve on her back, it may leave more scars, and reverse the healing it does." Mel shook her head.   
  
"Come, now! I am sure Hawk will be more than willing to finish plastering Wren's back in the salve." she looked at me.   
  
"I... oh er.... sure?" I replied.   
  
"Great! Then it's settled. Bye now." she dragged Aalen out of the cave.  
  
"Um... Hawk? You don't have to if you don't want to. I don't mind a few more scars." Wren informed me. I could tell that it was another one of those things, like what happened in the snow cave, that she didn't want to share with the world. Frankly, neither did I.  
  
"I won't tell if you won't." I held up a hand. She laughed her little, annoying, pestering, lovely, laugh... WAIT. I did NOT just say ANYTHING about Wren was lovely! Turning her back to me, she cautiously lifted the back of her shirt up so I could reach at least the small of her back. I dipped my hand into the little jar of green-blue gel, and started to gently rub little circles around on the spaces where Aalen had missed, as that was how I was directed to do.  
  
"Wow," Wren murmured. "You are far better than Aalen at this. Probably because she was a bear for so long, and lost the touch of human, let alone a feminine touch." well, I can tell you this, I was rather surprised when she said that, so surprised in fact, that I answered with   
  
"You know, I could get used to that." I was mortified by what I said.   
  
"What was that?" apparently she didn't hear me.   
  
"Er... done?" I prayed that she wouldn't press. It seemed that luck was on my side  
  
"Alright. I think I am going to go outside for a walk. Do you wish to come?" she asked me, rather politely, too. I don't know why, but it got me very angry.  
  
"Don't you know better? You couldn't even bow for the Queen! You hurt too much." I exclaimed.   
  
"Excuse me, but I think I will be the judge of when and where I am "too" anything!" She yelled at me.  
  
"You seem to be too stubborn to admit anything! Sometimes I think that if I wasn't around, you would KILL YOURSELF, running yourself down!"  
  
"You Prig! I think you are the one who needs a babysitter." she stood up quickly, contrary to her burns.  
  
"Oh really!" I was really losing it now. "When was this?"  
  
"This morning! Yesterday, the day before. This whole damn week! You didn't drink your tea, you wouldn't eat, you almost refused to sleep, you came back for me, even when I told you not to. You headstrong fool!"  
  
"Like I said before, you sent away the only help you had when that Belrothol came. You could have died!" I was yelling at the top of my lungs. Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Aalen and the queen watching us, but I didn't care.  
  
"Why all of a sudden this change in attitude? I remember a time when you would encourage me to go out and die! If memory serves, you once told me you couldn't care less? What happened to the 'I don't give a damn' personality you used to have?" The next few moments went by with the air straining in tension.  
  
"You know full well what happened, wench." I snarled. Wren let her jaw drop, then pressed her lips together. She solidly punched me.  
  
"I have no clue, you worthless serf!" she snarled right back at me. I don't know what happened next, but something in me snapped.  
  
"This is what happened." I said, swiftly standing right in front of her. I kissed her.  
  
End of Hawk POV(no one's POV)  
  
Mel stopped Aalen with a hand on her arm.  
  
"What is it?" Aalen asked, not noticing the scene going on at the entrance of 'her' bear cave.  
  
"Shhh! Look!" Mel whispered, pointing. Following Mel's finger, she gasped.  
  
"I thought they hated each other!" Mel snorted very un-queenish-ly.   
  
"Look at the examples around you! Hell, look at me!" she raised an eyebrow. "You know, hate can be a very good foundation for a relationship. I would know."  
  
Wren's POV (sorry if I am confusing you)  
  
'He's kissing me! He's Kissing me?! Oh well.' I thought to myself. I found out that I enjoyed that kiss, even as soft as it was. He pulled back.  
  
"Wren, I'm sorry. I didn't.. I hope..." he babbled.  
  
"Hawk, shut up." I pulled him back towards me, this time tilting my head back, letting him have better access to my mouth. This kiss, which had started out as a soft brushing of lips, light as a feather, turned into something completely different. "It's a good thing he's holding me up!' I thought giddily 'otherwise I would probably fall!' he held me close to him, crushingly close. Thighs, stomach and chest all pressed against his own, I might have found breathing difficult, had I not been enjoying the kiss so much. Suddenly, I heard footsteps and the faraway murmur of voices. We sprang apart, both breathing raggedly.  
  
"They must be coming back!" he whispered.  
  
"Into the cave, do something inconspicuous!" inwardly I was laughing at my antics. 'Oh, Aalen would kill me if she knew!' "Quickly!" I thought of what I would do if those last five minutes hadn't occurred. I started to pace, and not a moment too soon. At that moment, Mel and Aalen walked in, but Aalen had a very strange look about her, and the Queen was smirking. I absentmindedly stopped pacing.  
  
"What's so funny?" I asked, genuinely curious. Mel gave me a look, then flicked her eyes quickly over to Hawk. I could feel my face gaining warmth. Aalen burst out laughing. 


	6. Wind and water, thou shalt see

Chapter 6  
  
"Mel, I have a question." After the laughter had died down from all sides, we all got comfortable in each other's company. This last question was from Aalen.   
  
"Mmm?" Was her response.  
  
"Well, how did you get here so fast? I was only 'lost' for a month." At this, Mel smiled.  
  
"I was fortunate. The messenger that came to get me had heard the latest gossip from that town down there, and was a magician from your country, meaning he could transport me here, or, at least, to the town where you were last heard of." Turning to Wren, she took on a grave face.   
  
"I have news for you too, young Wren. Your queen, her magician, healer, and cousin have all been kidnaped." At this, Wren let out a small gasp. "Also, some very odd people told me to tell you that they are not in the Isles, but in the desert, in the Fortress Abandoned. I do not know what this means." Wren gaped.  
  
"Your highness - er, Mel," she added with a look from her. "Did these people have silvery blond hair? And eyes that seem as if they know all, but will tell little?"  
  
"Actually, now that you mention it, yes. Why? Do you know what they meant? I have no clue where this 'Fortress Abandoned' is. If you are hoping they told me . . . "  
  
"The Iyon Daiyin! Yes!! I DO know!!!" turning to Hawk, she told him, "We DON'T have to travel for years!!! They are in the Great Desert!"  
  
"Yes, while that is all well and good, when don't know WHERE in the Great Desert. That alone may take us years to find the fortress. I have never heard of an abandoned fortress in the Great Desert that isn't three hundred years old, and they were all destroyed." He pointed out in his cynical voice.  
  
"Ahh, while there is no abandoned fortress you know of, what about The Fortress Abandoned? Do you remember years ago, there was a team of soldiers posted at a nameless fortress, and as it was in the middle of the desert, with rare contact from the outside world, they decided to name the fortress 'Fortress abandoned?'" Memory flashed in Hawk's eyes.   
  
"Yes! I do remember now! I guess whoever this wizard is has killed the soldiers."  
  
"That or she bought them off. Whoever she is, she needs physical reinforcements. You cannot survive in this world without. At least if you want to do something this big." Now, before I leave for the desert, and you three go your separate ways, I think we . . . "  
  
"Hold on there now!"  
  
"Not a chance."  
  
"No way!" All three called out simultaneously.  
  
"What?" Wren raised her arms. "Hawk, you said that your quest lies to the south, Mel, you all but flat out told us that you came looking for Aalen, and Aalen, now you can return, and soothe Aunt Niss and company that you are okay. If you did come, you would just be pointlessly risking your safety." Aalen crossed her arms. "You all very well know that I don't seem to attract the safest of people. Quite the opposite, actually. That Belro-" She was cut short by a rushing noise.  
  
"Damnit, here's another!" Wren yelled at the top of her lungs.  
  
If the Belrothol was something fearful, this creature was one that would give anyone nightmares . . . except of course, they who called upon its forces. Wren and Hawk recognized it as a Ryushnia, a union of Yushala, Welarnea, and Roloyra, the only way that Yushala could take form on land was if Roloyra took its wind and picked it up, but little damage could be done, so Welarnea added its cold bite and colder heart to the mix.  
  
"Two in the same day!" Wren caused a tiny chuckle, albeit a fearful one, to course through those human occupants of the cave. "Damn, Hawk! It's headed from the village!" She called as she shot a lightning bolt at the head of the creature. The dark blue slits that served the monster as eyes opened wide, as a small chunk of the head evaporated. To everyone's astonishment, the piece missing from Its head grew back!  
  
"What the hell?!" Wren cried. The creature grinned and threw a large ice ball towards where Aalen and Mel stood, dumbstruck. Luckily, Mel woke from her stupor in enough time to shove Aalen out of the way. The creature paused, giving Wren just time enough to observe her opponent.   
  
It had, as stated before, dark blue slits where its eyes should be, and the entire creature looked as if a giant, man shaped Ice crystal, but lighting flashed, and clouds swirled inside. Long spindlely fingers of the clouded ice were as large as some of the stalactites in the cave, and glowed with trapped electric energy, and everyone could see it was just itching to get out. An abysmal black void was the servicing mouth, but all that came from its depths were blood-curdling shrieks and a laugh to disturbing to describe. There was no nose on the face, a face that if anyone squarely looked into would feel as if death was at their doorstep. This was the face of a cold, painful death.  
  
A second ball of ice and lightning was thrown at Aalen. Hawk and Wren, with a few well timed lightning bolts, took of the creature's arm. The huge limb fell in the fire, and while extinguishing it immediately, the owner screeched in pain. Then the painfully simple truth hit Wren.  
  
"Hawk! It's part of Roloyra! Lightning won't affect it! It's vulnerable to FIRE!!!" Grabbing his hand, she pulled him away from a third ice ball. He cried out; a large splinter of ice was lodged in his arm.  
  
"Hawk!" Wren yelled over the Erolia's scream. "What spells do you know for fire?"  
  
"Well, there is this one. . ." he told her, pointing in his student booklet, which he kept in his pocket at all times.  
  
"No, that requires fire to begin with, and we have none... wait," Wren turned her head, an eerie song flowing through her head. A very familiar song.... she did not have enough time to ponder it. "Your Highness!"  
  
"What?" she called, diving under the sweeping arm of the monster, for once putting up with her title.   
  
"The hill folk, do they have . . . er, are they of elements?" Wren continued, hacking off the Erolia's hand – if you could call it that.  
  
"Yes! Earth mostly, but some fire, wind, and water!" Mel took out her daggers and flung one at It. Predictably, it deflected harmlessly.  
  
"WONDERFUL! Quickly, come here! Take my hand!" At this, hawk felt a slight pang of jealousy, that Wren did not need his help, but saw Aalen barely deflecting Its magic with her own, and ran to help her.  
  
"Mel, think of fire. Of anger, death, anything searingly hot. Send those thoughts, with your emotions, to me!" Mel nodded and shut her eyes.   
  
'Hate. Death. Pain. Heat. Anger. Fire. Hate. Death. Pain. Heat. Anger. Fire! Hate. Death. Pain. Heat. Anger. FIRE!' Wren kept repeating to herself. She felt the heat flow through her veins, her being. Energy flowed in from Mel.  
  
'Blast, I hope this enough...' Mel thought. She opened her eyes.  
  
"FIRE!" the word tore from Wren's throat. She grabbed the thing's finger and said it again. "FIRE!" she let go of it, flinging her into the wall. The rest of the group gathered around her. Letting loose another cry, It threw one more ice ball at them. Wren knew, along with everyone else, that no one could move out of it's way.  
  
Tyron moaned himself awake. He was the only one. Being a creature of habit, and a nervous one at that, he started to recite the rules of crisis.  
  
Any hybrid of the elements.  
  
AN- I know I am probably going to sound ignorant, but I just found out that Miss Smith is coming out with a new Wren book, Wren Journeymage, probably coming to stores in fall 2005.   
  
Sorry for the short chapter, but people have been bothering me coughcoughdadcoughcough and others have been bugging me to post, so here you go! I had no idea I was so popular! 


	7. old 'friends' for mel!

AN- I just realized that the asterisk won't work on this text format, so when I tried to define something, it didn't show up. An Erolia is any hybrid of the Ryushnia.

DISCLAIMER: only the events, and Aalen are mine. Everything else is the bloody brilliant creation of Miss Sherwood Smith.

Chapter seven.

Roses are red, pansies are pink. The stuff ain't mine, no matter WHAT you think.

(Cept for Aalen and the charrie interaction)

'How could I have been so stupid!' Tyron berated himself mentally. 'All of the signs, the clues, I should have picked up on it earlier!' He started to mumble to himself again, but this time he woke up Connor.

"Oh, shut it, will you? I got enough of that mumbling when we were roommates... TYRON? Gods above, it's you!" Tyron turned just quick enough to be caught in a hug... though not a bone crushing one that Connor gave almost everyone; his time in here must have weakened him.

"Connor! You evil little bastard, why are you here? Wren is looking for you, and her wyrd. In fact, where is here?" Connor didn't look to pleased.

"She's doing WHAT?!? And how the HELL am I supposed to know?!" he shouted, waking up the rest of their "cage mates."

"Connor! Thank the GODS you're ok!" He was enveloped in a huge hug from Tess. Well, as much as one of Connor's size be enveloped by one of Tess's. He hugged her back, but was still a bit perturbed. His uneasy state was only increased by a comment from the corner of a cage.

"Ahh, the welcome is touching." came a sarcastic voice.

"Cousin." Connor inclined his head stiffly. He no longer truly hated his cousin, but in no way, shape, or form were they 'friendly'. "Now, what's all this about Wren finding her Wyrd?"

Wren cringed in anticipation for the boulder of ice, hurtling at them. It never came. Opening her eyes slowly, she shut them just in time to avoid them being inundated, along with the rest of her body, in the huge blob of water AN perhaps I didn't mention this before, but it just kinda slipped my mind blushes . The Erolia, unlike the Belrothol, was about 20/30 feet tall. With a rushing sound filing her ears, she was carried into the back wall of the cave and back out. After feeling the last of the water wash over her, she tried to sit up, but just flopped back down, to tired to really do anything. At her right, she heard someone splutter

"The fuck was that?!?!" and, against all intentions, dissolved into giggles.

"So, hawk, enjoy your little swim?" she called out after the feeling subsided. Everyone was giving her strange looks, and Hawk was giving her a death glare.

"Not particularly. Now I am hungry, cold, lost, pissed, and WET along with it. You know, my day just can't get much better. And don't you dare any of you say 'it could be raining' cause if you do, I will have to kill you... painfully!" After a few moments of silence, a peal of thunder rang around them, and a fork of lightning split the sky.

"Nice one, Hawk. How will you kill yourself today?" Mel's humorous voice answered the cry of frustration that came from Hawk.

"The people I know." Wren muttered to herself. Aalen raised an eyebrow. "Did I say that out loud? Whoops." She got up stiffly. "Woof. I don't think I can do much of anything without sleep now." she chuckled. "And all the more reason for you not to join me. This" she gestured around her. "Is my little trail of damage, and creatures like that seem to inhibit it quite frequently." she walked stiffly into the cave. "Enh."

"Damn! How can she keep DOING that?" a dark fist slammed down on a table on which rested a black basin filled with even darker liquid, making it seem like you were looking into void, which, you probably were. Around the basin were books spattered in different inks, but one lay open on the table, written in a dark brown ink, and was very clotted.

"Ah, I am glad that he kept spares of all of his books." a female voice chuckled, flipping through the books, calm again. "Wren, this will be one hell of a chase. I do hope you are ready for me when I come... as long as one of my creatures doesn't kill you! Which, is a very pleasing aspect." an evil laugh emerged form the dark face. "Soon, soon...."

"What the hell are you doing?" Garian shrieked (like a girl, Connor was pleased to note) as Connor pushed on the cage doors, causing the whole thing to shudder and swing. The metal joints groaned, and Garian shrieked again. "Stop it damn you!" Connor grinned.

"What, are you scared?" Garian blushed and answered vehemently.

"NO!" Connor looked over at Tess, who did an admirable job keeping her face straight, but he saw the tiniest tugging at the corners of her lips. 'Oh, if only... I wonder what those lips would feel ...' Conner reined his thoughts up short. 'First, we get out. Then I can think of that.. If ever.'

"Look, cousin, if I do this, I may be able to break the lock on the door, meaning we can climb out of this hole on the rope that suspends us! While I don't expect you to help, quite the opposite actually, could you at least keep quiet enough to not alert every guard, magical and non magical alike, in the damn castle!" Garian squawked with indignation. Tess rolled her eyes and began to tear two strips from her skirt. She stuffed one in his mouth, and tied the other around it.

"I am sorry, Garian." Connor smiled and hugged her.

"Bloody brilliant. Could you help? Tyron looks like he is about to have a mental collapse, and Kial looks too sick for anything."

"I can't believe it! I know who it is, but she is to fuzzy for me to remember! The spell she cast on us must have some memory blocking charm. I can hardly remember what was happening to Wren when we landed here!" Tyron pounded his fist on the bottom of the cage, causing another shudder of the entirety. Garian let out another squawk. "Oh, do shut up! And, the worst part of it all is that there is a magical ward around this entire room. No magic, at ALL. I am so useless." he continued to rock back and forth. Shaking his head, Connor looked back at Tess. She nodded. Following Connor's example, she placed her shoulder against the bars of the cage, she shoved.

"Harder!"

"Hawk?" Wren grunted. "Hawk!" He started, waking up.

"Wha..?"

"Hawk, as much as I love your concern for me, I am not going to run away in the night, and I would very much like to be able to breathe correctly." Hawk looked down, and saw his arm was lying on her stomach. Embarrassed, he pulled his arm away. Mel gave a laugh-turned- strangled-cough when he looked at her.

"Enh. Anyway, it's early morning. I may as well - WE may as well get going." she corrected when they glared at her simultaneously. "But first, I NEED a bath while I can get one, and our clothes are still sopping. How about Hawk, you start a fire and cast a drying spell on everyone, and Mel, if you so desire, I have some spare hair ties... perhaps you would prefer if I put it up in a practical snood?" Mel snorted

"No snood is practical. Perhaps.. If you don't mind... you could cut my hair like yours?" Aalen gasped, and even Wren looked a bit apprehensive.

"Meliara! Your lovely hair?! Your one glory!" Aalen cried.

"Thank you, Aalendrianna. I liked to think of myself with more than ONE glory. Besides, maybe if I'm lucky, my hair will be like Wren's!" the subject blushed. 'I guess everyone heard that story.' Wren thought wistfully, fingering her hair, realizing it had grown past her shoulders in a week.

"If it as my lady desires, I will do her bidding. But, I will need you to come down to the hot spring with me so I may wash it and cut it while wet." Mel grimaced.

"Please stop with the formalities. It makes me feel old. And yes, it is as 'the lady' wishes." Chuckling, Wren picked up her sword and knife, as well as a drying rag she had thoughtfully packed as well.

Down in the hot spring located below the cave, Wren swam a little, and Mel relaxed in another. Wren had already trimmed her hair and Mel's as well. Wren decided to cut a bit more off then she intended, and now her hair was above her shoulders, instead of at them. She had pulled both her hair and the hair of Mel up, and stuffed the cut offs in her travel pack, making a full eight foot rope of thick braid, stripy and auburn intermittently. Suddenly, Wren stood up in the water, causing a tad of a splash, loud enough for Mel to hear, and sudden enough for her to care.

"What is it?" she asked, following Wren's suit and getting out of the pools.

"Men. Men in green, marching. I can hear them. One of them is ... DEGEBRI?!"


End file.
